Although currently many input software products are available in the market, none of them can completely solve the input problem for all languages. Usually, people need to have specific software for a specific language. For example, there are different input methods for Chinese. Furthermore, even for one language, there are multiple input methods. User needs to install different software for different language or even different input methods. There is no such total solution for every language and every input method.
To make things worse, not all the input methods are supported by each operating system. Users have to switch input methods on different operating systems. And for different devices, different input software products are used. For example, the input software for handheld device and set-top box are not compatible. User needs to purchase different software for their devices.
Input problems on pervasive devices are even more serious because of these kinds of devices innate limitation of storage and data processing ability.
Further more, Internet browser is now becoming more and more popular, it has been and will continue to be incorporated in all kinds of devices. And the technology of browser is becoming more powerful; it can support not only multi-language display but also java virtual machine. Such technology advance makes the input methods through web service feasible.